Alchemy
by SRWriting34
Summary: Every family has its problems. Mine is no different. My best friend is a shape-shifting wolf, my parents are vampires and - oh, yeah! - Have I mentioned I'm a half human, half vampire? Try making friends with THAT opener! My name is Renesmee Cullen.
1. Preface

**Okay, some of you may be wondering why this is familiar. That's because it's the same Preface from my story "High Noon" which is done. Over. This is a reboot. Similar concept, different approach. It's still a Renesmee/Jacob story, but hopefully, one that makes sense and is canon compliant! Anyway, bear with me. I promise to update as much as possible. And don't hesitate to review. Really, it helps. Enjoy!**

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><p>A light misty rain fell around us, creating a sort of hazy light through the bright green of the trees. I crouched, waiting for the enemy to attack. Looking across the clearing, I met my father's black eyes. His top lip was curled back in a fierce growl as he prepared to leap forward and attack. Beside him, my mother was crouched in position, a somehow more serene, yet similarly intense expression on her beautiful, stony face. Her dark hair hung in satiny ribbons down her back to her waist.<p>

I looked around the circle, my overactive heart pounding as eight figures stared at me with fear in their eyes. A creature snarled from behind me, daring my family to come closer. The stinking smell of rabid animal was overwhelming. I closed my eyes, unable to watch as the end approached.

_Dad, I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I just wanted to help…_

"I know." I heard his soft voice say. Tears filled my eyes as I realized this could be the last time I ever heard his voice. An angry, feral howl came from within the woods and my stomach clenched, afraid of what was coming. A lump formed in my throat as the animal's cry penetrated my soul. I opened my eyes, letting the tears fall freely as ten large figures appeared in the gloam. The largest one, a beautiful rust colored animal, threw its head back and let out a long, drawn out howl before lurching toward us.


	2. First Birthday

You know, not many people can say they remember the day they were born. Most people don't even remember the day they started school. I can honestly say I remember the day I was born. In full detail. Of course, it wasn't _really _that long ago, if I'm being honest.

Maybe I should start at the beginning.

My name is Renesmee Carlie Cullen. _There's _a conversation starter! My name in itself is a distraction. I could never tell my mother, though, she's so proud of it. I was named for my two grandmothers Renee and Esme. I guess that makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it?

My parents are Edward and Isabella Cullen. _Bella_, as she prefers to be called. They met in their junior year of high school, they got married after graduation and I guess the rest is history…er, sort of.

To say that Mom's pregnancy was a shock would be a huge understatement. They were still on their honeymoon when they realized I was on the way and from what I've been told, Dad wasn't happy about it. I can't say I blame him. I wouldn't have been thrilled either. Mom was still human and her poor little body was being abused from the inside.

Her pregnancy wasn't like the normal nine months and here it comes kind of situation. It progressed really fast and even though she was eating all the time, she was slowly dying. They couldn't figure out how to feed her and I, and even though my adoptive grandfather, Carlisle, is a doctor and tried to do an ultrasound, they couldn't see through my amniotic sac.

Gross.

It wasn't until Mom's best friend, Jacob Black, came to see her that they realized I must need human blood. Unfortunately, I became stronger when they gave it to Mom and I began to hurt her. Dad became even angrier and tried to encourage Jacob to convince her to end the pregnancy to save her. Naturally, she refused because, anyone who knows Isabella Cullen, knows she's stubborn to the bone.

They had almost lost hope for her when Edward realized he could hear my thoughts. One of the advantages of being a telepath vampire, I guess. Through this, he and I began to communicate. Apparently, I was this highly intelligent unborn fetus that could talk to my own father from inside the womb. Freaky, yes, but I managed to win him over. After that, I tried my best to keep from hurting Bella…or so I'm told. Obviously those memories from _inside _the womb are a bit fuzzy these days.

But, I remember the day I was born. September 10, 2006. The first vivid memory I have is being very warm and enclosed in a dark space. I remember being unable to breathe and feeling extremely panicked. I have the vague memory of something breaking beneath my foot before I was accosted by an extremely offending light and a pale, bloody face hovering over me while I forced air into my small lungs. I could feel cold hands on my body, lifting me out and looking at me. I had no idea who or what I was looking at. Then it spoke.

"Renesmee."

I recognized the voice, though I must admit it was slightly different from this side. _Hungry…_I thought, hoping he knew what I meant.

"Let me…" Another, softer voice broke the silence and we turned, giving me a view of two other people in the room. A very tall, dark haired person standing and a very pale, very ill looking person, reaching toward me. "Give her to me." It was the voice from the outside, the one who spoke to me.

Momma.

I wanted her, more than anything. If I could have voiced it, I would have told the person holding me to give me to her. He seemed to understand what I wanted and moved forward. I felt something very warm brush against me as he did, but forgot it in an instant when I was cradled into her weak, thin arms. Her eyes were dark, but she was smiling at me.

"Renes…mee. So…beautiful." Momma said with effort. Beneath me, I could feel the thudding of her heart and I could hear the blood running through her veins, however faintly. The first feeling came back.

_Hungry…_

Instinct drove me as I bit into the buttery soft flesh and tasted something delicious. She gasped, making me pause in surprise. Had I hurt her? The cold hands from before grasped me and pulled me away, though I wanted to protest. _Hungry…_I thought again.

"No, Renesmee." The first voice said to me, looking into my eyes. I swallowed, still tasting the blood from before, but I understood. The slow thud of Momma's heart suddenly went quiet and I watched the tall person begin to push on her chest with ferocity. Small sounds emerged from him as he worked, though he seemed not to notice this. He stooped down and pressed his mouth against Momma's before resuming the pushing.

"What are you waiting for?" His rich, husky voice demanded. We moved toward him and I was held out for the taller person.

"Take the baby." The first voice instructed, and I realized this was the voice of my father, the one who had spoken directly to me from outside.

"Throw it out the window." The deeper voice growled, continuing his work.

"Give her to me." A gentle, quiet alto came from behind us. Both my father and the other man made noises of protest. "I've got it under control. Give me the baby, Edward. I'll take care of her until Bella…" She trailed off as I was reluctantly placed into her cold arms.

_No, no, no! Want Momma! Momma! _

My father gave me a pained look before turning away. The light haired woman holding me swept us from the room and down the stairs. Mercifully, a bottle was given to us and it was filled with the same taste from before.

"It's okay, Baby." She soothed as I fussed, wanting to eat, but still wanting my mother so badly. She leaned down to kiss my forehead. I felt my eyes burn as I touched her smooth cheek.

_Momma…want Momma._

Her entire body lurched and she sat up, staring at me in wonder.

"Did you just—?" She didn't finish, shaking her head. "Of course you didn't." She reprimanded herself while I continued to suck at the bottle. Her voice was calming me, lulling me into a state of relaxation I had never felt.

"You're so pretty, little Renesmee. I'm going to take care of you. You'll never have to worry…"

But it was wrong. She wasn't the same. She wasn't my Momma. It wasn't the same voice. My mother was lying upstairs, possibly dead by the sound of it. All because of me. I stopped eating, having finished with it. The light haired woman set the bottle aside and lifted me to her shoulder. That's when I noticed him standing there, watching us with a murderous look on his lovely face.

He lurched toward me and for the slightest of moments, I felt afraid. Then he looked into my eyes and everything changed. _He_ changed, and I wasn't scared anymore. I felt a pull to him, _wanting_ to be near him. _Needing_ to be near him. I watched him fall to his knees in defeat and stare tiredly at me with the strangest look on his beautiful, dark face. That's when I knew.

He was mine.

At that moment, the person cradling me rose to her feet and snarled at the man on his knees.

"What do you think you're doing, _Dog?_" She roared, making my heart jolt with worry for him. I touched her cheek again, trying desperately to communicate that he was important to me. That he was _mine._ I wanted him to hold me. Again, she gasped and stared down at me as three other figures appeared in the room.

"What's the matter, Babe?" A deep voice said from nearby.

"Sh-She…she wants you." She said to the man, who had risen to his feet and was still staring at me in mild shock. "Dog…" When he didn't answer, she stamped her foot. "_Jacob!_"

"Huh?" He replied, raising his eyebrows. I reached toward him. _Jacob._ He was called Jacob…and he was mine.

"She wants you."

"How can you tell?" A tiny voice asked.

"She showed me…when she touched me, I could _see_ what she was thinking. Like Edward, but opposite." Her voice was hushed.

"Let me have her." Jacob said, moving forward. My heart leapt, but I was disappointed when the one holding me refused.

"No."

"Rosalie…" His voice was warning, authoritative. "I won't hurt her. I promise." The soft way his voice had changed made everyone in the room stare at him in wonder. Rosalie finally assented and I was placed into his huge, gentle hands. It was suddenly delightfully warm and I felt as safe as I had when I was in the dark place. I reached forward and placed my fingers on his slightly scratchy chin.

_Jacob. My Jacob. Mine. _

I watched his eyes widen at my touch.

"She's so warm." He choked, holding me closer and supporting my entire body with his hands. The way he was rocking, shifting his weight from foot to foot, was making me tired. I felt my eyes droop as my head fell to rest against his shoulder.

Jacob and I always had an inexplicable bond, which was kind of a miracle considering his first intention had been to murder me. I didn't truly understand the implications of this bond until my first birthday.

It was a small gathering at my family's main home. And by small, I mean it was an event of epic proportions with at least forty people in attendance. One child was present besides me.

This was unsurprising, considering one of the consequences of being a hybrid human vampire oddball, was that I grew at a rapid pace, which obviously didn't leave much room for interacting with kids my own age. At three months I looked like a toddler. At six months I looked like a three year old. At one year old, I greatly resembled a kindergartener.

Alice, my aunt, had pulled out all the stops for this blowout, much to mine and my mother's chagrin. Neither of us were very high maintenance, which made Alice all the more determined to force it upon us. Of course, a one year old who looks like a five year old doesn't usually get a say, but I was already reading at a middle school level and could do multiplication _and_ long division. I also could adeptly play the piano, thanks to my father's patient teaching.

Eat that, child prodigies!

Sorry, off topic. Anyway, Alice had invited all of the people who had been with us during the winter. The Denalis, of course, along with our Irish friends and even the Amazonian women. Zafrina and I were especially fond of each other since our gifts were very similar. She could project images while I could transfer my thoughts through touch.

Jacob's friends were there, of course. His pack as he called them. Oh, did I forget to mention that my Jacob is a shape-shifting wolf? He's the Alpha leader of what is known as the Black Pack, to which I giggle. Jacob is the great-grandson of Ephraim Black, a former Quilieute chief and thus, is kind of the heir to the Quilieute – uh – chiefdom.

Finally, there were three others present. I am not the only vamp/human hybrid out there and we had recently met Nahuel when he had come to verify that I was really part human and not an immortal child to the Volturi in the winter. The Volturi are the vampire equivalent of royalty and someone had reported to them that I was an immortal child. Turns out, biting babies and making them immortal is a big no, no. Seriously, they were coming to kill me.

Luckily, Alice and Jasper came back with Nahuel and his aunt, Huilen from South America and proved that I wasn't a demon that was going to take out the entire West Coast. Although, you have to admit, that would be a pretty cool horror movie.

Sorry, I spend _way_ too much time with Jacob.

Back to the point; Nahuel and his aunt had come along with Nahuel's younger sister Jennifer, who was sixteen years old and had been fully grown for the past nine years. She and Nahuel really did not look much alike. He was tall and dark skinned with light amber eyes and long, shining dark hair. Jennifer was tall and slender, but her skin was only slightly darker than mine and her hair was white blonde. Her eyes were a pale, ice blue and she was absolutely stunning. From the looks that she was getting from Jacob's friends, I'd say they agreed.

The only people who were missing were Seth and Leah, who were picking up Charlie with Sue. Charlie is my grandfather on my mother's side from whom I'd inherited both my eyes and my curly hair.

Jacob and I were playing a rousing game of Go Fish while we waited for everyone to arrive so that we could eat cake. I wasn't particularly fond of human food, though it had grown on me since my birth. I didn't mind rare steaks, but I wasn't big on fruits and vegetables. Except potatoes. I _loved_ potatoes in all forms. Fries, mashed, hash browns, roasted…I also enjoyed sweets. What child doesn't? So, it stood to reason that Esme would bake a delicious yellow cake with pink frosting. For someone who did not eat, she was an amazing cook.

"Do you have any kings?" Jacob asked me. I shook my head, bored with this game already. I wanted to eat cake and open presents. Even though I was rapidly growing, I still had many traits of a little girl.

Reaching for Momma's hand, I looked imploringly up at both her and my Daddy.

_When?_

They both laughed at this, sharing a look. Daddy crouched down in front of me.

"Give them five more minutes, love. If they aren't here by then, we'll let you blow out the candles and eat your cake." He promised, pressing a cool kiss to my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him lift me up out of the chair. I buried my face in his neck.

"They're too slow." I grumbled, looking back at Jacob, who just shook his head. He grinned anyway, reaching for a cookie.

"Sorry, Pup. These aren't Milk Bones." Rosalie said, snatching the bowl away.

"Rose." Esme said warningly, taking the bowl back from her and placing it in front of my Jacob. "You can have as many as you want, honey." He threw a triumphant grin at Rosalie and winked at my mother, who rolled her eyes but laughed anyway. The sound of the front door opened, followed by the sound of arguing.

"Well if _you_ would set an alarm once in a while, this wouldn't be a problem!" I recognized Leah's voice instantly, watching my mother tense up at the sound of it.

"I did! The power went out, so it didn't go off." Seth's voice countered.

"That is _enough_, you two." Sue scolded in a hushed voice, probably forgetting that every person present save for Emily and Claire, had enhanced hearing. I noticed Embry and Quil share a snicker. "If you ruin that little girl's birthday, I will personally murder you both."

"Will she really kill them, Daddy?" I whispered to my father, who let out a sharp laugh.

"No, Baby. She won't kill them." He assured me, handing me off to Momma, who always smelled like flowers. Charlie entered the room first, looking slightly exasperated and moving straight over to Momma and I to kiss us both. He gave me an assessing look, though he was still smiling.

"You get prettier every time I see you, Squirt." Charlie told me. I smiled prettily.

"Thanks, Grandpa." I replied, while my mother opened her mouth to speak.

"I don't want to know." He reminded her, kissing her cheek. Sue greeted us next before joining Charlie and Billy to the side. Momma set me in Jacob's lap so that she could go and help Esme with the cake.

"Why are they always fighting?" I asked Jake, referring to Seth and Leah.

"Leah is a little crazy." Jacob whispered to me, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

"Sorry, Jake!" Seth apologized breathlessly, coming into the room. "The wind knocked the power out and my alarm didn't go off—"

"It's fine, man." Jacob assured him as Leah stomped into the room.

"It's _not_ fine. I am so tired of Seth always making us wait and I'm sick of—" She cut off, gasping once and reeling backward. Her face changed and her eyes took on a glazed, almost dreamy look. I felt Jacob draw in a breath, his hand gripping the table. "Oh, _shit._" Leah murmured, shaking her head. "No…no, no, no, _no._"

"What?" Embry asked Seth, who shrugged. Both Quil and Jacob had their eyes locked on Leah, who was still staring at the corner. I thought she was looking at Jennifer at first, but I realized it was Nahuel immediately because he was staring back at her with an equally confused expression on his face.

"What's wrong, Leah?" Emily asked, handing Claire to Quil and moving to stand beside her cousin.

"The other vampires in the room had gone quiet, an uneasy calm settling over the party."

"She imprinted." Jacob informed them in a tight voice.

"Just _now_?" Seth asked in bemusement.

"What?" Sue cried from the corner near Billy and Charlie.

"Oh God." Daddy said, meeting Jacob's eyes. "It's just like with you, Jacob."

"You imprinted on Nessie?" Jake asked, looking horrified. Leah still had not come out of whatever catatonic state she'd gone into.

"No, on Nahuel." Daddy explained.

"No." Leah said, shaking her head and starting toward the door. "_Fuck_ no."

"Leah!" Her mother reprimanded, looking at me and Claire, who were the obvious babies in the house.

"It's okay, Miss Sue." I told her. "I won't repeat it."

"Good girl. You either Claire." Sue added. The little girl looked promptly up at Quil and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened and he shook his head.

"It's a bad word, Claire-Bear and you better never say it okay?"

"Okay!" She told him cheerily. I was no longer paying attention to the swearing. I was curious. I looked at my father, who seemed partially amused and partially exhausted. The doors from the kitchen opened and my mother and Esme walked in carrying the birthday cake with the candle lit. Forgetting Leah momentarily, everyone crowded around me and Jacob and sang 'Happy Birthday.'

"Make a wish, Ness." Jacob said to me when they finished. "But you can't tell anyone or it won't come true."

"Okay." I agreed, leaning forward and closing my eyes. I knew exactly what I wanted. When I pulled back, everyone clapped. Momma looked like she wanted to cry as she leaned into my father's side. Esme set about cutting the cake, but something was still bothering me.

"Daddy," I said aloud, "What's imprinting?"

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><p><strong>The narration will get more mature as the story goes on. I just want to make sure that she doesn't seem as whiny as Bella did sometimes. And yes, I decided to pair Leah and Nahuel together, because it just makes sense. Maybe someday, I'll write their story. Maybe. Since I got Nahuel's full back story, I'm kind of excited about him.<strong>

**Anyway...thanks for reading. Reviews are fun. **_  
><em>


	3. Imprint

The look on Daddy's face went from smiling to serious immediately and the room went silent. Momma's mouth had fallen open again and she was looking from Daddy to Jake, obviously at some sort of a loss.

"This is all you, Jacob." Daddy said, crossing his arms while everyone else in the room moved to busy themselves. I turned around to face my Jacob and stared up into his dark, dark eyes. Touching his cheek, I implored him.

_Please tell me._

He sighed. Heavily and brushed a stray curl from my face.

"Okay." Jacob nodded, swallowing. "Imprinting is something happens to us wolves. It happens the first time we see somebody, when we look into their eyes. It's like…magic. It binds two people together for life. Like, soul mates. Sam imprinted on Emily, Paul imprinted on Rachel, Quil—" He stopped, cutting off suddenly.

"Like Romeo and Juliet?" I asked, feeling my eyes widen.

"Yep." He agreed uncomfortably. "Kind of…but without the suicide."

"I didn't like that part." I affirmed, grasping his hand in mind. His pulse was racing nervously.

"Have you imprinted?" I asked cautiously, feeling a stab of jealousy in my young heart. Slowly, Jacob nodded, his Adam's Apple bobbing with the movement. I heard Daddy let out a low hiss from behind us. I touched Jake's cheek again.

_Who?_

Another swallow. He looked beyond me as if for approval and then he glanced at Billy, who was apparently engrossed in a conversation with Sue and Charlie.

_Who?_

I asked again. He eyes bore intensely into mine, all semblance of my tall, brave wolf and replaced with a young man who was terrified of what he was about to say.

"You." He murmured, keeping his eyes locked on mine. "That first moment we looked at each other. Remember?"

Of course I remembered. I'd felt it too, but I'd thought it was just me. I was confused for a moment at what all of this meant, and then I was deliriously happy. Jacob was really mine. Really and truly! But even better, I was his! We would be friends forever! Or...

_Does this mean we're going to be married like Sam and Emily?_

My father growled loudly this time while my mother softly soothed him with her low voice. At one year old, I knew absolutely _nothing_ about being in love. I only knew that Momma and Daddy were in love…and Carlisle and Esme and my aunts and uncles.

"No, it does not mean that. It means that…" He stopped, thinking a moment. "That we're friends for life. Forever. Okay? It does _not_ mean that we have to get married. Ever." He held up his pinkie. "Okay?" I grinned, wrapping my tiny pinkie around his.

"Okay!" I giggled, letting him tickle me. When I turned back around to eat my cake, I felt him exhale as if he had been holding his breath. Momma and Daddy had both gone back to smiling, but I could tell that it was forced.

_Daddy, are you mad at me?_ I thought, gazing up at him.

"No, no…not at all, Baby." He assured me, crouching down beside us at the table and stroking my cheek with his fingertip.

"Here, love. Have a bite of your birthday cake." He took my fork and fed me a small corner of pink frosting and yellow cake while Momma moved forward with the camera and took pictures.

After everybody had eaten and I had opened my presents, they all started to part ways to return to their various homes and hotels. The Quilieutes had already gone as there was a bonfire that night, so Jacob and Billy were left with just Charlie, Sue and my family. I was quite happy with the gifts I'd gotten. A hairbrush and mirror set from Rose and Emmett, A hand carved jewelry box from Carlisle and Esme, four dresses and a pair of shoes from Alice and Jasper. (Momma quietly reminded Alice that it did no good to buy designer dresses for me since I outgrew them in just a few weeks anyway to which Alice said every little girl deserves to have pretty clothes. She and Momma agreed the clothes would be donated to charity when I was finished with them.)

Along with some toys and games, Momma and Daddy had bought me a beautiful lifelike baby doll with brown eyes and red hair. She was dressed in a pink satin dress and had a little pink boy in her hair. She was beautiful.

My present from Jacob was the best of all. On cue, Embry and Seth wheeled in a purple two wheeled bike with training wheels on it and pink and white streamers coming out of the sparkly hot pink handlebars. It was the coolest, most beautiful bike I'd ever seen. It also happened to be the only bike I'd ever seen up close.

"Your first bike, kiddo." Jake said, setting me to my feet so I could run and inspect it, which I did. "Maybe not quite a _motorcycle_, yet." He added, elbowing Momma gently. She rolled her eyes, but kissed his cheek.

"It's a very nice present, Jake. Thank you." She assured him. "And Renesmee likes it, doesn't she?"

"Like? More like _love!_" I squealed, letting Seth help me sit on the sparkly pink seat. "This is the coolest present _ever!_"

"I want one!" Claire exclaimed to Emily, who pressed a long kiss to her cheek.

"You have a cool bike, Claire. Remember the one Santa brought you last year?" Emily reminded her lovingly, looking toward the door distractedly. "Have you seen Leah?" She murmured to Seth, who shook his head.

"She's still outside with that Nahuel dude." He informed her while I admired the white basket on the front of the handlebars.

"I figure, every kid needs to know how to ride a bike. I remember my dad teaching me." Jacob said, beaming at his father. When Daddy didn't say anything, Jake went on, "If you don't want to teach her, I'll do it. I just thought—"

"No, of course it's a great idea, Jacob." Daddy told him. "And of course I would love to teach Nessie how to ride it."

"Listen, there's a bonfire later at First Beach…" Jacob began, to which my ears pricked up.

"Daddy, can I go? Please? Please? _Please?_" I pushed my lower lip out like I'd seen Momma do with him a few times and gave him my best 'good girl' look. Yes, I had learned how to manipulate my father by the age of one. He tried to play tough, but he was entirely too easy to crack. How I love him.

"Of course you can go, Sweetie." He assured me as I abandoned my beautiful bike to rush toward him and let him scoop me up into his arms. I laughed delightedly, nuzzling into the coolness of his neck. He kissed my cheek repeatedly, smiling, before handing me to Momma.

"You have to promise to be a good girl." Momma told me. "And listen to Jacob and Billy…and you still have to be home by bedtime. That's eight-thirty, okay?"

"Bells, when's the last time you two had a night alone?" Jacob asked, raising an eyebrow at her. I saw both of my parents pause, sharing a meaningful glance. At Charlie's look of shock, I spoke.

"Don't worry Grandpa, that's just so they can move furniture and pray." I explained, turning back to my mother, who had frozen in the spot. A snicker from Emmett brought her out of her trance.

"Furniture?" Emmett asked, waggling his eyebrows at her. She hissed at him.

"Why would you say moving furniture, Nessie?" Grandpa said, now turning a violent shade of pink. Sue could barely contain her amusement and I had no idea why everyone thought this was so funny!

"And, _pray_?" Emmett guffawed, making Rosalie smack him in the chest.

"Well…because I can hear the furniture hitting the wall and Momma usually says, 'Oh God!'" I informed them all. My mother looked like she wanted to disappear beneath the rug.

"Nice to hear you're so devout, Bella." Emmett added for good measure, earning another slap.

"Have her home by eleven." Daddy replied quickly, putting his arm around Momma's shoulders and kissing my forehead.

"You can bring her here." Esme interjected, taking me from Momma. "You can have a sleepover with Grammy Esme. We can make pancakes in the morning, yes?"

"With chocolate chips?" I asked hopefully. She nodded.

"With _chocolate_ chips."

"And Jacob too?" I turned to look back at Jacob who was standing near Billy. Esme shrugged.

"If he wants to come, he's always welcome. He knows that." She assured me, putting me down.

"Will you come?" I cried, running to Jacob and gripping his pant leg. "And eat chocolate chip pancakes with me? It's no fun to eat alone."

"You can count on it, kiddo." Jake patted my head affectionately before flinging me up and sitting me on his shoulders. "Now let's blow this popsicle stand!"

"Yeah!"

"Have fun moving furniture, Bells!" Jake cried out to Momma, walking us toward the door. I heard her growl again.

On the way out, we passed Leah and Nahuel who were sitting awkwardly side by side on the porch step. They weren't talking at all. In fact, Leah still looked angry and Nahuel was calmly watching her face. His hand was over hers on the ground between them. They did not acknowledge us walking by them.

We got into Jacob's car and I was strapped into the safety seat that I was still required to use due to my size.

"Jacob?" I asked, when we had started to move.

"What's up, Ness?" He asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror. I bit my lip.

"Why did you stop talking when you said Quil? Before? When you were telling me about imprinting?" I was just full of questions today, apparently.

"Oh, you caught that, huh?"

"Yep."

"Well…Quil imprinted on Claire, so it's different for him." Jacob explained in his ever patient way with me. I tilted my head, studying his face.

"Like you and me!" I said. His jaw tightened and he nodded.

"Yep." His voice was clipped, quieter than normal.

"Jacob?" I said again, even slightly annoying myself. Hey, give me a break; I was a five year old who was really one…or, a one year old who was really five…crap. I even confuse myself.

"Yeah, Ness?"

"I'm glad you're mine." I told him sincerely. And I was. I didn't want to share him. Not ever. Not even if he fell in love with someone and wanted to get married and have babies like Sam and Emily were doing. I didn't know what that meant at the time, all I knew was the only thing that had ever remained constant for me.

Jacob belonged to me.

"Thanks, kid. I'm glad too. You're pretty awesome." He told me, reaching back to pat my shoe. "Best babysitter ever, right?"

"Definitely." And then, I was worried again because I was, after all, my mother's daughter. "Jake, are you going to fall in love and get married and have babies?"

"What?" His voice lowered, and he looked at me in the mirror again. "What do you mean?" I didn't answer, just stared at him, frozen with my fear. "Good _God,_ you're just like her aren't you?" A long sigh left him. "It doesn't work that way for me, Sweetheart."

"What do you mean? You're the handsomest man I know. Even more handsome than Daddy." I told him proudly. "Don't tell him I said so though." I saw him smile despite himself.

"I can't fall in love with anyone, Nessie. It doesn't work that way once you imprint." He looked like he was regretting telling me anything. "I will never care for another girl like I care for you." Shaking his head, he winced. "You don't understand now…you're too little, but you will know what I mean one day, Nessie. But like I said before, that does not change _anything _for you. Okay? You can fall in love with whoever you want." We fell silent again.

"Jacob?" I finally broke our silence again.

"Yeah, honey?"

"I know Momma and Daddy aren't moving furniture. Or praying." I admitted, turning a violent shade of red. Jacob's face lost color. It was a moment I would one day find amusing, but it sort of frightened me.

"You know kid," Jake began, sighing. "You really are too smart for your own good."

"I know." I said sadly. "It's why I can't have any friends." At his startled glance, I felt a lump form in my throat. "In a few months, I won't be able to play with Claire anymore."

"Aw kid, don't do that…" Jacob pleaded, seeing my suddenly teary eyes.

"Am I a freak?"

"_No." _Jacob responded forcefully, pulling into the reservation. I heard him curse under his breath. "Where did you learn that word?"

"On T.V." I replied quietly, wiping my eyes with my sleeve as he parked the car at First Beach.

"I don't ever want to hear you say that word again. Got it, kid?" At my silence, he turned to face me. "Renesmee!" I nodded numbly, my eyes still leaking. "Say it. Promise me."

"I promise." I choked, letting him remove the straps of my car seat and pull me into his arms for a tight hug. I never felt as safe as I always did when I was with Jacob.

"Now no more crying. That's not fair and you know it." He kissed my hair and got out of the car with me. "We've got marshmallows to roast!"

"Love you more than anybody, Jake." I told him, burying my face in the warmth of his neck. He chuckled.

"Ditto, kid."

I must have fallen asleep on the ride home because I woke up in my bedroom at the main house, dressed in my Disney Princess pajamas. Esme must have heard me wake up, because she appeared at the door and came to lift me out of bed.

"Good morning, Princess."

"Pancake time, Grammy?" I asked, wrapping my legs around her waist.

"Yes it is!" She sang, carrying me easily down the stairs. Jacob was already seated at the table, which was quite a feat, considering he was _not_ a morning person.

"Good morning, Sleepy!" He laughed. "Thought you were never gonna get up!"

"I was tired, I guess. Grammy," I said, looking at Esme. "Could I have a little bit of blood after breakfast if I'm really good?" They were trying to wean me off of the human blood, but I still craved it sometimes.

"Well, I suppose just a little bit." Esme gave Jacob a mischievous grin. "It's my right as a Grandmother to spoil her. Instead of sugar, it's blood."

"Hey, like I could deny the kid anything if I wanted to." He laughed, ruffling my hair.

"Alright Missy, come over here and help Grammy stir these chocolate chips into the batter." Esme called to me.

"Can I help flip them too?" I asked breathlessly.

"How about if Jacob holds you and you watch over Grammy's shoulder? The griddle is too hot for you." Esme said, guiding my hand to stir the thick pancake batter. She held out a stray chocolate chip for me to eat, which I took greedily.

"Sugar too, I guess." Jacob laughed, moving over to stand across the counter from us. I heard voices from outside followed by the door opening and closing.

"…found it in his office, of all places."

"Oh, that is just dirty, Edward." Momma's giggling voice replied before they appeared in the kitchen. I left Esme and raced across the room to my mother, burying my face in her shoulder and letting her long hair fall over me like a protective blanket. "Good _morning_, Renesmee."

"I missed you!" I exclaimed, feeling that inexplicable need that very small children have to be near their parents.

"We missed you too, Nessie." Daddy told me, lifting me from Momma's arms and holding me at his hip with my legs around his middle. "Was she any trouble, Jacob?"

"Dude, it's Nessie. Kid's better behaved than most adults." He said, helping Esme spoon batter onto the griddle. "No, she wasn't any trouble. And she was asleep and in bed here by ten-thirty."

"Nice job, Mary Poppins." Momma quipped, moving to punch him in the arm lightly and sniffing the batter before making a face. "Would you believe, I used to live for this stuff? Renee and I used to make them on Saturday mornings together." Her face became sad. Renee was Momma's mother, who she hadn't seen in over a year.

Because of me.

"No, _not_ because of you." Daddy said, hearing me. Momma looked at us inquiringly, making him sigh. "Your daughter worries as much as you do."

"I said the same thing!" Jacob nodded, messing up Momma's hair and backing away when she advanced on him.

"What are you worried about, Baby?" Momma asked, slapping Jacob's arm and gliding back toward us.

"She blames herself for you not seeing Renee." Daddy explained, giving her a look of exasperation.

"What? No…no, no, no…" Momma told me, rubbing my back. "It's not like that. Was never like that, Baby…I always intended to end up this way, regardless. I knew going into this I wasn't going to see Renee anymore."

"Why?" I asked innocently.

"Because Renee is a human. She wouldn't understand us…she would be afraid." Momma said.

"Maybe she would understand, Momma…she's you're mother. If she loves you..."

"It doesn't always work that way, Renesmee." Daddy said softly. "Look, your pancakes are done!" I turned my head and looked to see Esme setting down the plate with a stack of cakes on it.

"Jacob, we need to talk." Momma said in a serious tone, making Jake darken. I don't like this. Momma and Daddy sit across from us at the kitchen table while we dig in.

"Okay, talk." Jake replied cautiously.

"We need to go away for a little while." Daddy started, leaning forward to wipe some syrup off my cheek. "Until Nessie's growth slows. Nahuel and Jennifer have been very helpful in telling us what to expect. Her growth should slow significantly by the time she's four."

"You're planning to leave for four _years_?" Jacob yelped, staring at the two of them helplessly. "And go where?"

"Canada. We have a cabin up in the woods in Yukon Territory." Daddy explained.

"I can't." Jacob said, dropping his fork. "I can't do it. Edward. _Bella._" He gave my mother a pleading look before looking sideways at me. I continued to eat my pancakes until Esme discreetly set a metal cup in front of me. I could smell the blood.

"We know." Momma said soothingly, reaching for Jacob's hand. "Which is why," She gave Daddy a wary look, "we want you to come with us. I know how crowded it is at Billy's with Rachel and Paul and soon, they'll want kids…"

"You don't _have _to come, of course." My father added acidly, knowing full well that Jacob had to come. "But it isn't fair to Renesmee to keep her hidden in the woods of Forks or at the Reservation. She deserves a place where she doesn't have to worry about being caught acting her age. Playing outside."

"You're right." Jacob exhaled, resting his chin on his hand. "Okay yeah. I'll come. Of course, I will have to return her every so often to check on the pack and the house and make sure the three of them haven't murdered each other, but there's no way I can _stay. _And phasing makes the trip quick. If that makes sense. It hurts, you know. If I don't see her for over a day, it starts to ache."

"We get it." Daddy stopped him in a dry voice. "You're coming."

"I don't want to go!" I cried, horrified at the thought of being away from everyone I loved. "I want to stay." I began to cry, small child that I still was. "I don't want to leave them! I want to stay with Charlie and Billy and Sue!"

"We can't, honey." Daddy told me, trying to placate me. "It's the only way to keep you safe. Do you understand?" I nodded, but I continued to sob.

"I still don't want to go!" I wretched, forgetting the delicious blood. "I want to stay here!"

"We'll come back, Baby. It's just a couple years." Momma told me. I shook my head, continuing my babyish rage.

"_Four._ Four years, Momma! That's over half of my growing life! I'll look like you when we come back…no one will know me!" I sobbed harder, feeling a warm arm wrap around me. I clung to his shirt, soaking it with my tears. "I'll _never _make any friends!"

"I…" Momma had no response for this, looking helplessly at my father. There was nothing they could realistically do. There were no other hybrids my age around. It's not like I had anyone to relate to. No one to grow up with. Playing with your parents and adults was _not _the same.

"It sucks being one of a kind, doesn't it?" Jacob told me sympathetically. "You're so special, but it doesn't matter because no one is there to share it with you." I could only nod. My Jacob understood me. "But you're lucky too, Ness. You have a family who loves you very much and would do _anything_ for you. Look at Nahuel and Jennifer. Their Dad is a psychopath vamp breeder and their mothers are dead. Nahuel has his aunt, but Jennifer has nobody. Imagine growing up with _nobody,_ Ness. You'll never be alone. _That's_ why you're lucky."

I cuddled closer to him and kept my face buried in his side, but the crying slowed and I felt my breathing returning to normal. When I had finally calmed, I was able to lift my head and look across the table at Momma and Daddy, who looked slightly ill.

"I'm sorry." I sniffed, feeling like a brat. Looking up into Jacob's warm, coffee brown eyes, I managed a watery smile. "Okay. Let's go to Canada."

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><p><strong>I'm sorry if this sucks. It's late. I'm sick...I kind of need an editor. Blah. <strong>

**Read. Enjoy. Review. **

**Bedtime.**


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